This book really had a chokehold on American society when it came out. I never read it and figured it was time. I can see why people gravitated towards it. It was post Y2K, just after 9/11, pre-Mayan calendar ending, post x-files, W Bush era, in the middle of the Catholic Church scandal, and the internet wasn’t as immediate as it is now.  It makes sense with that context why people would find this enthralling. 

Dan Brown does a lot of lifting here. He makes the reader believe the theories and includes just enough history to make the reader be like “wait, was that right? Did that happen?” Kudos, girl.

Overall, though, I thought the book was just ok. It didn’t fully pull me in and I didn’t want to continue reading it. I had this checked out from the library so long that my account got suspended. I just didn’t want to pick it up. That’s not the feeling I want from a modern adventure thriller. 

There were at least two moments where I wanted to throw the book because of a ridiculous turn of events. My eyes couldn’t roll back far enough. 

I think, though, at the time, I would’ve been like “WHOA, that’s so crazy!” Anyways, remembering the context and the culture at the time helped keep my inner critic in check, but he still came out. 

It was fun and dumb and ridiculous and truly surprising that this had the effect it did on culture.